1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to terminal profile information, and more specifically to a method and system for making wireless terminal profile information accessible to a network.
2. Background and Material Information
In an office environment, knowing where people are and what they are doing is very useful. Currently, in many companies, a whiteboard where employees can write down their availability is used. This information is very useful to help people reach each other at the company.
In today""s society many people are on the move, and cannot always be found in the office sitting at a desk. Many of these type employees carry mobile/portable devices with them. These mobile devices may have operational modes that can be set by the users to control settings of the mobile device and/or denote a status of the user.
The operational mode defines parameters of the wireless terminal and may have names such as xe2x80x9cmeetingxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9coutdoorsxe2x80x9d, etc. If the wireless terminal is a wireless phone, for example, the operational mode may define parameters such as ringing tone, volume, lights, etc. If the operational mode of the wireless phone was set to xe2x80x9cmeetingxe2x80x9d, the wireless phone parameters would then be automatically defined. The parameters for xe2x80x9cmeetingxe2x80x9d may be set as, for example, ringing tone=off, volume=mute, lights=off, etc. If the operational mode of the wireless phone was set to xe2x80x9coutdoorsxe2x80x9d, the parameters may be set differently. For example, ringing tone=fast beep, volume=high, lights=bright, etc. The operational mode, defines parameters of the wireless device.
The user of a mobile device may be identified, for example, from the information stored on the SIM-card (Subscriber Identity Module) or by connecting the device identification to a specific user in the network. The mobile device can usually be identified, depending on the network environment. For example, in the GSM (Groupe Speciale Mobile, i.e., Global System for Mobile Communications) network this can be done with an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) code.
The GSM numbering system is a 15 digit unique code that is used to identify the GSM/DCS (Digital Cellular System)/PCS (Personal Communications Service) phone to a GSM/DCS/PCS network. When a phone is switched on, this unique IMEI number is transmitted and checked against a data base of blacklisted or greylisted phones in the network""s EIR (Equipment ID Register). This EIR determines whether the phone can log onto the network to make and receive calls.
Users may set a particular operational mode, or the operational mode may be set automatically based on the current situation of the user. For example, a user may be currently in a meeting and, therefore, sets the operational mode in his or her wireless device to xe2x80x9cmeetingxe2x80x9d. Once the meeting is over, the user may change his or her operational mode to xe2x80x9cgeneralxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d. This information may be used to express the user""s presence or current status to other people. By putting the wireless terminal in a specific operational mode, several settings or parameters for the wireless terminal associated with this operational mode are automatically set. This avoids having to set each individual parameter separately.
EP 0 611 070 discloses a portable phone whose phone settings are stored in groups (modes) so that the user, when switching from one group to another, can switch several settings at a time. A single operation by the user may set the ringing strength, loudspeaker volume, display light, etc. FIG. 3 of EP 0 611 070 shows the relationship between operating characteristics (e.g., sound volume, ringing tone, lights, etc.) and defined groups (e.g., indoors, outdoors, conference, etc.). This information is only available to the user.
EP 0 865 188 discloses portable phones that may have various modes or profiles that can be selected manually, or automatically in response to the phone""s surroundings based on a sensed control parameter. The profiles are located in the portable phone, and each profile may define multiple settings for the phone or user. However, this information is only available to the user.
DECT-phones (Digital European Cordless Telecommunication) generally have a system where the user can program desired information in the phone. This information is available to the telephone exchange, and a caller when calling the user. The information is only presented to the caller, and only when calling the user. Other methods of keeping track of the current status of employees or others include: using a physical whiteboard on a wall of the office, having a particular person, such as a secretary, always be aware of peoples"" movements and status, or pure word of mouth speculation.
However, these methods have several problems associated with them. The DECT systems show information of the user only when the person calls the user. Also, people do not always update their information on whiteboards, or the information they give is false information. When information is passed to a particular person, many times the information is not moved fast enough to be useful (i.e., the information is old and not current), or doesn""t move at all. In addition, the information, when it is stored somewhere, is not easily available to other people.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method and system for making some wireless terminal profile information accessible to a network that substantially obviates one or more of the problems arising from the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
One aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for making some profile information of a wireless terminal in a network accessible to the network that includes: determining a current operational mode of the wireless terminal where the current operational mode is identified by an operational mode name; determining a wireless terminal identification for the wireless terminal; and sending profile information of the wireless terminal to the network where the profile information includes the operational mode name and the wireless terminal identification and/or user identification, the profile information may be sent by the wireless terminal and the sent profile information may be accessible from the network.
The wireless terminal identification may be used to identify the wireless terminal and/or a user of the wireless terminal. The profile information may be used to update stored user data. The stored user data may include user identification, wireless terminal information, and operational mode name. The stored user data may be stored on the network. The profile information may be sent automatically to the network when the operational mode has changed. The sent profile information may be stored on the network.
The storing may be performed by a network application. The network application may be a virtual whiteboard application having access to the network. The profile information or user data stored by the virtual whiteboard application may be accessible and viewable from a virtual whiteboard. The virtual whiteboard may be accessible and viewable by each user. The virtual whiteboard may be accessible and viewable by people other than users. A parameter in the current operational mode may be settable that prohibits the profile information stored on the network application from being accessed and/or viewed.
The network may be a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). The profile information may be stored in a database. The wireless terminal may communicate with the network using a transport interface. The transport interface may be a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) interface. The transport interface may be a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) interface. The transport interface may be a Short Message Service (SMS) interface. The transport interface may be an E-mail interface. The wireless terminal may use the Internet to send the profile information to the network. The stored user data may be searched for desired information using search criteria.
An aspect of the present invention is directed to a system for making profile information of a wireless terminal in a network accessible to the network that includes: a network; a plurality of wireless terminals where at least one of the plurality of wireless terminals may be associated with one of a plurality of users and the plurality of wireless terminals are operably connected to the network; at least one transport interface where the at least one transport interface allows communication between the plurality of wireless terminals and the network and the plurality of wireless terminals sends profile information of each associated plurality of wireless terminals to the network using the transport interface; and a network application where the network application receives and stores the profile information for each plurality of wireless terminals and the stored profile information or user data may be accessible from the network.
The plurality of wireless terminals may include wireless phones, portable computers, Smart Phones, and/or wireless Personal Communicators. The network application may store the profile information in a database. The network application may include a user interface. The user interface may be a graphical user interface.
The transport interface may be a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) interface. The transport interface may be a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) interface. The transport interface may be a Short Message Service (SMS) interface. The transport interface may be an E-mail interface.
The network may be a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). The plurality of wireless terminals may be connected to the WLAN through access points connected to the WLAN. The network may be accessible to the wireless terminals using the Internet.
Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawings.